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Match Made in Devon Bridal Shop #1
Our Bridal Shop
Every family has its secrets, and the March family is no exception.
For the March sisters, Match Made in Devon, the bridal shop opened and run by their parents, was a real-world representation of what true love was all about. But for eldest sister Alexandra that kind of perfection has always seemed unreachable.
Alex has spent over fifteen years in Boston, building up an impenetrable shell of confidence and taking control over her own destiny. If there’s anything missing from her life, it isn’t important anyway. But with her mother’s unexpected death Alex is forced to leave her life in the big city behind and return to her hometown of Devon…and a past she’s been running from for years.
As the March sisters try to salvage the bridal shop their parents loved, Alex is forced to confront her painful past and the real reason she left Devon so many years ago…including childhood sweetheart Jonah Dufort.
Jonah represents everything Alex has tried to forget and conceal. But sometimes secrets demand to be revealed, and when the past returns again in the form of a long-lost sister, it’s a shocking reminder to Alex that even a perfect marriage can have something to hide.
With her world falling apart around her, Alex loses control of the perfect life she has built for herself. Now, the only thing that Alex can be certain of is that things will never be the same.
Bound by fate, three sisters will have to redefine the meaning of family and discover the raw power of forgiveness and love.
For the March sisters, Match Made in Devon, the bridal shop opened and run by their parents, was a real-world representation of what true love was all about. But for eldest sister Alexandra that kind of perfection has always seemed unreachable.
Alex has spent over fifteen years in Boston, building up an impenetrable shell of confidence and taking control over her own destiny. If there’s anything missing from her life, it isn’t important anyway. But with her mother’s unexpected death Alex is forced to leave her life in the big city behind and return to her hometown of Devon…and a past she’s been running from for years.
As the March sisters try to salvage the bridal shop their parents loved, Alex is forced to confront her painful past and the real reason she left Devon so many years ago…including childhood sweetheart Jonah Dufort.
Jonah represents everything Alex has tried to forget and conceal. But sometimes secrets demand to be revealed, and when the past returns again in the form of a long-lost sister, it’s a shocking reminder to Alex that even a perfect marriage can have something to hide.
With her world falling apart around her, Alex loses control of the perfect life she has built for herself. Now, the only thing that Alex can be certain of is that things will never be the same.
Bound by fate, three sisters will have to redefine the meaning of family and discover the raw power of forgiveness and love.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2020
116 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
January 19, 2019
I had many expectations when I started this book, but unfortunately I found it hard to get into. The prose was a bit heavy and dreary from time to time and it made me lose focus and interest in the story. It had a lot of potential though and I finished it only because I wanted to know what happens in the end with the sisters.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 5, 2019
This is a debut novel by a new author about what happens after the death of the main character’s parents. It was filled with quite a bit of family drama. Overall, it was just an okay read for me. It took awhile for me to actually get into the book but I did think the writing and storyline were good. I had a really hard time getting past the main character. She was pretty stubborn, ridiculous too often and just really hard to like, in general. The other side characters were enjoyable, though. I probably would have liked a little more about Jonah, but the other sisters were well developed. The descriptions in the book were very good as well. You felt like you could see this world Blair created. This was a good debut for a new author. I’ll be interested to see what she does with the rest of the books in the series.
* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
February 28, 2019
As Erma Bombeck so eloquently put it decades ago, family ties don’t just bind…they can gag. Our Bridal Shop explores the relationship between sisters when the relationships are tested and strained in just about every way imaginable.
Alex and Charlotte March are sisters gifted with the surprise existence of yet another sister, Freesia, the product of an extramarital affair that they find out about at the same time. It goes without saying that this is shocking news, but they have little choice but to work together: the three sisters have each been bequeathed a third of their parents’ struggling bridal shop, and it’s all in or nothing.
Charlotte is the sister who stayed behind in small-town Devon, helping their mother to keep the shop from going under completely. She has three children, a husband who prefers to work on his tractors whenever possible, and a drawl “like a hummingbird landing in molasses.”
Alex is the sister who escaped, shedding Devon along with her Mississippi accent, building a new life with a wealthy politician husband in Boston. She planned on being in town only long enough for the will to be read, and is so unyieldingly rigid in her routines (excruciatingly detailed in her bullet journal) that it actually gave me anxiety to read about it at times.
And finally, Freesia is the sister who they didn’t know existed, conceived when Alex and Charlotte’s father mysteriously disappeared for a short amount of time during their childhood. She’s a free spirit, a world traveler, and biracial, all qualities that make her stand out in rural Mississippi. She’s also their new business partner.
Will the three March sisters pull together as a family to rescue and revive their family’s business, a bridal shop full of more tradition and history than a museum? Or will they decide to face the reality that hanging onto the past for purely sentimental reasons won’t pay the bills?
Danielle Blair’s writing style was a pure pleasure to read, lyrical and poetic, peppered with Southernisms that brought a true authenticity to the Mississippi setting. This style of writing did make it a little difficult to understand what was actually happening during some of the scenes, and I had to re-read some sections to determine if what had just happened was real, or a flashback, or a memory muddled by time.
I’m the type of reader that doesn’t mind if a protagonist is somewhat unlikeable, or does unlikeable things, but fair warning that Alex (the main character) is virtually impossible to get behind, or even care about at times. She’s rigid to the point of being brittle, and traumatized by the betrayal and death of their father to the point of hallucinating about him. I’m not exaggerating when I say that she shows some serious obsessive-compulsive tendencies that made for uncomfortable reading sometimes. There is a secondary storyline involving her childhood sweetheart Jonah, but this book is definitely women’s fiction, not a romance. That’s not a spoiler for any of the plot, but it’s important to know that going in.
I did truly enjoy Our Bridal Shop and would recommend it, four stars out of five from this blogger!
I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, this did not impact my rating or review. Cross-posted on TwintypeBooks.com.
Alex and Charlotte March are sisters gifted with the surprise existence of yet another sister, Freesia, the product of an extramarital affair that they find out about at the same time. It goes without saying that this is shocking news, but they have little choice but to work together: the three sisters have each been bequeathed a third of their parents’ struggling bridal shop, and it’s all in or nothing.
Charlotte is the sister who stayed behind in small-town Devon, helping their mother to keep the shop from going under completely. She has three children, a husband who prefers to work on his tractors whenever possible, and a drawl “like a hummingbird landing in molasses.”
Alex is the sister who escaped, shedding Devon along with her Mississippi accent, building a new life with a wealthy politician husband in Boston. She planned on being in town only long enough for the will to be read, and is so unyieldingly rigid in her routines (excruciatingly detailed in her bullet journal) that it actually gave me anxiety to read about it at times.
And finally, Freesia is the sister who they didn’t know existed, conceived when Alex and Charlotte’s father mysteriously disappeared for a short amount of time during their childhood. She’s a free spirit, a world traveler, and biracial, all qualities that make her stand out in rural Mississippi. She’s also their new business partner.
Will the three March sisters pull together as a family to rescue and revive their family’s business, a bridal shop full of more tradition and history than a museum? Or will they decide to face the reality that hanging onto the past for purely sentimental reasons won’t pay the bills?
Danielle Blair’s writing style was a pure pleasure to read, lyrical and poetic, peppered with Southernisms that brought a true authenticity to the Mississippi setting. This style of writing did make it a little difficult to understand what was actually happening during some of the scenes, and I had to re-read some sections to determine if what had just happened was real, or a flashback, or a memory muddled by time.
I’m the type of reader that doesn’t mind if a protagonist is somewhat unlikeable, or does unlikeable things, but fair warning that Alex (the main character) is virtually impossible to get behind, or even care about at times. She’s rigid to the point of being brittle, and traumatized by the betrayal and death of their father to the point of hallucinating about him. I’m not exaggerating when I say that she shows some serious obsessive-compulsive tendencies that made for uncomfortable reading sometimes. There is a secondary storyline involving her childhood sweetheart Jonah, but this book is definitely women’s fiction, not a romance. That’s not a spoiler for any of the plot, but it’s important to know that going in.
I did truly enjoy Our Bridal Shop and would recommend it, four stars out of five from this blogger!
I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, this did not impact my rating or review. Cross-posted on TwintypeBooks.com.
March 19, 2019
The cover of this book is so stunning. It was the thing that really drew me to this book. This is, however more than a book with a pretty cover. Its a story about family and what happens when one of the family is gone and what happens when you find out the people that you loved had a lot of secrets. That doesn't include the secrets the main character is keeping.
Alex isn't the most easy heroines to love, but she does grow on you after awhile, however not by much. This is a story that you'll want to stay with because of the other characters. Alex was the sister that grew up and went away from her hometown and moved to Boston. Her life is far from perfect and she's less than nice to just about everyone, including her high school sweetheart. In fact, the only person she's really nice to, is Jonah's young daughter. When a family secret comes out giving Alex and Charlotte a sister they didn't know they had, she's really hard to deal with.
There's a lot of family drama but a lot of humor too, but what life isn't without stress and humor?
You see Alex grow a lot in this story and really you need to, because she isn't someone you'd like much unless she did. Her relationship with Jonah's daughter is really the thing that makes her likable. Plus when you understand what happened in her past things make a little more sense. She's very goal oriented and a perfectionist, and she learns that being perfect isn't always what you want to be.
One of my favorite quotes came from her sister Charlotte when she returned home again, after some major upheaval in Alex's life "The way I see it, home is a soft place to fall and no one questioning you at the bottom."
I can't wait to get to know Charlotte and Freesia better in books to come, because even though you saw some things through their eyes, you really want to know them more. I also want to see how Match Made In Devon does under their ownership.
This was really a good read!
Alex isn't the most easy heroines to love, but she does grow on you after awhile, however not by much. This is a story that you'll want to stay with because of the other characters. Alex was the sister that grew up and went away from her hometown and moved to Boston. Her life is far from perfect and she's less than nice to just about everyone, including her high school sweetheart. In fact, the only person she's really nice to, is Jonah's young daughter. When a family secret comes out giving Alex and Charlotte a sister they didn't know they had, she's really hard to deal with.
There's a lot of family drama but a lot of humor too, but what life isn't without stress and humor?
You see Alex grow a lot in this story and really you need to, because she isn't someone you'd like much unless she did. Her relationship with Jonah's daughter is really the thing that makes her likable. Plus when you understand what happened in her past things make a little more sense. She's very goal oriented and a perfectionist, and she learns that being perfect isn't always what you want to be.
One of my favorite quotes came from her sister Charlotte when she returned home again, after some major upheaval in Alex's life "The way I see it, home is a soft place to fall and no one questioning you at the bottom."
I can't wait to get to know Charlotte and Freesia better in books to come, because even though you saw some things through their eyes, you really want to know them more. I also want to see how Match Made In Devon does under their ownership.
This was really a good read!
January 3, 2019
Our Bridal Shop by Danielle Blair (Match Made in Devon Bridal Shop Book 1) begins after the funeral of Alexandra's and Charlotte's mother, Ella. Charlotte notices a stranger at the cemetery, a way off from the rest of the mourners and wonders momentarily who she is but then gets on with it. They next see her at the reading of their mother's will at the lawyers office where they are each handed a letter written by their father, before he died, over five years earlier. They are then introduced to the young, mixed-race woman they had seen earlier: she is their half--sister, the daughter of their father. She has inherited 1/3 of the bridal shop that their parents had owned; a bridal shop that is barely holding its own. Charlotte has always worked in the shop but Alex had gone away to school and never come home. She now lived in Boston, she had a husband, and she had a high-paying job in the computer industry. She wasn't going to stay.
Our Bridal Shop had a good plot, rife with everyday problems faced by many people in today's society: marriages that weren't meeting expectations, businesses that were failing, and unanswered question. The characters were good: each of the three sisters having a distinct and clear personality. Their mother's friends that knew what should be done, whether the sisters agreed or not. We all know these ladies. Some of the peripheral characters were full of personality as well. It made for an enjoyable read. The writing seemed a little muddy sometimes but it all came together at the end. I recommend it. It was an enjoyable read. An excellent read by what appears to be a new author.
I received a free ARC of Our Bridal Shop in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Our Bridal Shop had a good plot, rife with everyday problems faced by many people in today's society: marriages that weren't meeting expectations, businesses that were failing, and unanswered question. The characters were good: each of the three sisters having a distinct and clear personality. Their mother's friends that knew what should be done, whether the sisters agreed or not. We all know these ladies. Some of the peripheral characters were full of personality as well. It made for an enjoyable read. The writing seemed a little muddy sometimes but it all came together at the end. I recommend it. It was an enjoyable read. An excellent read by what appears to be a new author.
I received a free ARC of Our Bridal Shop in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 4, 2019
Alex has to return home after her mom passes away, to get all the affairs in shape, spend time with her sister with their shared grief and to discover an unknown half sister.
This book is not only about second chances, but sisterhood, love and rekindled loved.
Alex doesn't love herself enough so she pores all she can into superficial things. Like the idea of her marriage, into hook ups and her career. Always chasing perfection because she ran away from something.
Charlotte wants more then to be a wife, mom, home maker, care giver, and farmer. She is chasing something.
Fressia is looking for her father, and her sisters. She didn't get to know them because of decisions made for her. Hwr conception was born from mutual help and her mother saving her father in his darkest hour, she stayed with her mom from an unlikely bond created.
This story had an interesting plot. But it was written in a manner I am not much of a fan of. Like taking a shakespear, mixing it with a Jane Austin and then using language of south US. Plus it jumped without saying way it moved forward, or leaving questions.
I would love to know if Alex ever told Michael.... I would love to know why Michael said what he did, but did something else.... Or the trailer- confused was that Alex's parents getting physically together or something else. What about Charlotte- was she happy in her marriage after all or was she heading to divorce? Or that I'm only sticking it out for the kids not for love. What about Freesia does she get the answers she needed?
My favorite part was Ibby, Alex and Jonah. Alex and Jonah rekindling things made the whole story for me. For that alone the book is worth a read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book is not only about second chances, but sisterhood, love and rekindled loved.
Alex doesn't love herself enough so she pores all she can into superficial things. Like the idea of her marriage, into hook ups and her career. Always chasing perfection because she ran away from something.
Charlotte wants more then to be a wife, mom, home maker, care giver, and farmer. She is chasing something.
Fressia is looking for her father, and her sisters. She didn't get to know them because of decisions made for her. Hwr conception was born from mutual help and her mother saving her father in his darkest hour, she stayed with her mom from an unlikely bond created.
This story had an interesting plot. But it was written in a manner I am not much of a fan of. Like taking a shakespear, mixing it with a Jane Austin and then using language of south US. Plus it jumped without saying way it moved forward, or leaving questions.
I would love to know if Alex ever told Michael.... I would love to know why Michael said what he did, but did something else.... Or the trailer- confused was that Alex's parents getting physically together or something else. What about Charlotte- was she happy in her marriage after all or was she heading to divorce? Or that I'm only sticking it out for the kids not for love. What about Freesia does she get the answers she needed?
My favorite part was Ibby, Alex and Jonah. Alex and Jonah rekindling things made the whole story for me. For that alone the book is worth a read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 14, 2019
Alex’s mom had passed on and she was at the cemetery with her younger sister Charlotte. Six weeks Charlotte was still unraveled. Their family owned a bridal shop- Charlotte had one day found her mother dead of a head attack. Alex had went away went to school and now had a life in Boston but Charlotte had stayed and worked in the bridal shop. Alex needed to be on a plane back to Boston. The weather would probably cause her flight to be canceled. The nation’s largest distributor of blood supply was counting on Alex to saved an eleventh hour Argistie solutions, guaranteeing her promotion to Vice President of network solutions in her climb up the ladder. Her father had quit his job his travelin job and had been gone about sixteen days leaving his wife and two daughters behind. Their father had slept with another woman. Alex was to meet her half sister Freesia Day. Charlotte said Alex had been ugly back at the lawyers and Alex said they had been raised on lies. Each sister had been handed an envelope written by their father who had died five years earlier. Charlotte asked Alex what happened to her. She used to love this place and the people . Now she can’t seem to remember the person she was before she left. Alex agreed to stay one week. She should apologize. She asked if she should have invited her father’s illegitimate daughter in for tea? Freesia showed up at the shop Alex stepped aside to let Freesia enter. Freesia stepped inside, her chin leveled, her eyes caged, thoughtful and deliberate. She made no move to remove her bag, her coat, her guard. Freesia now owned a third of the bridal shop but it barely holding its own.
I couldn’t really get into this book. It just wasn’t for me. I am sure others would really like it. But as I said it wasn’t for me.
I couldn’t really get into this book. It just wasn’t for me. I am sure others would really like it. But as I said it wasn’t for me.
February 6, 2019
Match Made in Devon Series:
The Butterfly Dream #2 - Oh, that Alex! I still dislike her but she gave Charlotte some good advice about having an affair; don't. This book is better than the first book of the series, but it is much darker. C drove me a little crazy with her abandonment of her husband and children, and then treating her man so shoddily when/after he jumps through all her hoops. When they married, the couple agreed what they wanted and now fifteen years later she's reneging and leaving him in a bind, part of her making. Jonah and Nash do not deserve the treatment they receive from these two sisters; both are wonderful guys who tolerate a lot of smelly poop from these "women".
I just hope Freesia is the better of the sisters when it's time for her story, assuming there is a third book. The storylines are interesting, the characters are growing and a lot of problems surface. Aftercontacting the author to review this book, I received it through Booksprout. 4*
Our Bridal Shop #1 - Our Bridal Shop - This is my first read by this author. The main character Alex ruined it for me with her continued self-destructive stupidity. There was just too much of her problems and not enough for the other two main characters. I really like the two other sisters and what all three sisters had to go through to become a family.
Several of the supporting characters did well in their roles. The old love interest could have had more background, instead Jonah was stuck too much in the background; same for the younger sister's husband Nash. Nicely edited, except for several proper nouns being lowercase. I contacted the author to review her book and received it through Booksprout. 3*
Match Made in Devon Series end.
The Butterfly Dream #2 - Oh, that Alex! I still dislike her but she gave Charlotte some good advice about having an affair; don't. This book is better than the first book of the series, but it is much darker. C drove me a little crazy with her abandonment of her husband and children, and then treating her man so shoddily when/after he jumps through all her hoops. When they married, the couple agreed what they wanted and now fifteen years later she's reneging and leaving him in a bind, part of her making. Jonah and Nash do not deserve the treatment they receive from these two sisters; both are wonderful guys who tolerate a lot of smelly poop from these "women".
I just hope Freesia is the better of the sisters when it's time for her story, assuming there is a third book. The storylines are interesting, the characters are growing and a lot of problems surface. Aftercontacting the author to review this book, I received it through Booksprout. 4*
Our Bridal Shop #1 - Our Bridal Shop - This is my first read by this author. The main character Alex ruined it for me with her continued self-destructive stupidity. There was just too much of her problems and not enough for the other two main characters. I really like the two other sisters and what all three sisters had to go through to become a family.
Several of the supporting characters did well in their roles. The old love interest could have had more background, instead Jonah was stuck too much in the background; same for the younger sister's husband Nash. Nicely edited, except for several proper nouns being lowercase. I contacted the author to review her book and received it through Booksprout. 3*
Match Made in Devon Series end.
January 24, 2019
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
I’m frankly torn on “Our Bridal Shop” for several reasons. While I found the premise of the story interesting, how that story was delivered to me was easy to put down and walk away from. If I’m engaged in a story I should not be able to easily put it down, finish another book and then return. That’s not my usual reading style. Yet, I wanted to know what happened with the sisters and their new situation so I did return and finish their story.
Part of that reason of being able to walk away was the main character, Alexandra. I simply could not like her, there is no other easy way to say that. If I do not care if the heroine gets her happily ever after or not, then I’m not engaged in her story at all.
I would call “Our Bridal Shop” a good story, one that has an audience that will enjoy it. And, it may surprise you to hear that I will be picking up the second story, “The Butterfly Dream” mainly because my curiosity is engaged, I want to know what happens next… and I’m reluctant to make a decision on whether I’ll follow an author or not based on one book.
Yet, the truth is, mine is only one opinion. The only one that matters is yours… so if the cover description sounds intriguing to you then you should read it and make your own decision.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
I’m frankly torn on “Our Bridal Shop” for several reasons. While I found the premise of the story interesting, how that story was delivered to me was easy to put down and walk away from. If I’m engaged in a story I should not be able to easily put it down, finish another book and then return. That’s not my usual reading style. Yet, I wanted to know what happened with the sisters and their new situation so I did return and finish their story.
Part of that reason of being able to walk away was the main character, Alexandra. I simply could not like her, there is no other easy way to say that. If I do not care if the heroine gets her happily ever after or not, then I’m not engaged in her story at all.
I would call “Our Bridal Shop” a good story, one that has an audience that will enjoy it. And, it may surprise you to hear that I will be picking up the second story, “The Butterfly Dream” mainly because my curiosity is engaged, I want to know what happens next… and I’m reluctant to make a decision on whether I’ll follow an author or not based on one book.
Yet, the truth is, mine is only one opinion. The only one that matters is yours… so if the cover description sounds intriguing to you then you should read it and make your own decision.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
January 15, 2019
Our Bridal Shop by Danielle Blair (Match Made in Devon Bridal Shop Book 1) begins after the funeral of Alexandra's and Charlotte's mother, Ella. Charlotte notices a stranger at the cemetery, a way off from the rest of the mourners and wonders momentarily who she is but then gets on with it. They next see her at the reading of their mother's will at the lawyers office where they are each handed a letter written by their father, before he died, over five years earlier. They are then introduced to the young, mixed-race woman they had seen earlier: Freesia Day, who is their half-sister, the daughter of their father. She has inherited 1/3 of the bridal shop that their parents had owned; a bridal shop that is barely holding its own.
Alex is very opposed to having Fressia work in the shop. However, Charlotte wants her around and wants to get to know her.
One day while in the shop Freesia is wearing a dress of her own creation when a Hollywood A lister and her friends come through the shop. They love Freesia’s clothes and want dresses just like them! Alex can’t say no of course. Freesia can’t say no either.
Alex’s old boyfriend is now a windowed. Alex is still in a loveless marriage. Alex has known her marriage was over awhile ago.
The book does have a good story line. However, some of the characters, plot wasn’t necessary.
I did receive a free Goodreads copy in exchange for an honest review.
Alex is very opposed to having Fressia work in the shop. However, Charlotte wants her around and wants to get to know her.
One day while in the shop Freesia is wearing a dress of her own creation when a Hollywood A lister and her friends come through the shop. They love Freesia’s clothes and want dresses just like them! Alex can’t say no of course. Freesia can’t say no either.
Alex’s old boyfriend is now a windowed. Alex is still in a loveless marriage. Alex has known her marriage was over awhile ago.
The book does have a good story line. However, some of the characters, plot wasn’t necessary.
I did receive a free Goodreads copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 4, 2019
Alex and Charlotte's mother has just passed away. Due to this Alex had to go home to Mississippi to help Charlotte with not only the funeral but their bridal shop. While at the cemetery they notice a woman in the distance and then she's gone. What they don't know is this person is Freesia who just happens to be their half sister, their father had an affair when the girls were. young. There's a bit of drama now with this family. From marriages to family secrets, dishonesty, careers among other things. What I didn't enjoy about this book was the way it was written. I felt it was all over the place and really not written in the way I enjoy. I thought the book had a lot of possibility and the storyline could have been done a bit better especially with the drama of Alex's marriage. Just because I was not a fan of the way the book was written, doesn't mean you won't like it. So please look at the authors synopsis as well as the other reviews to see if this would be a book you would enjoy.
January 19, 2019
Our Bridal shop was a good read. It was filled with drama, family secrets and finding forgiveness - for yourself and others. I enjoyed Danielle Blaire’s writing style, especially the dash of humor she includes which helped balance the stressful situations that the characters were facing. It is written from the perspective of the three March sisters and while this particular book was focused primarily on Alex’s story I found myself drawn more toward Charlotte, the sister who remained home and started her own family while Alex moved away to a high power job in the city. I think since Alex was harder for me to connect with it left me wanting a bit more from the story. Each of the March sisters are quite different in their life experiences and struggles, which I’m sure will allow readers to connect with at least one of the sisters in some way. As the next book focuses on Charlotte’s story I’d be interested in continuing the series and finding out what happens next.
February 27, 2019
4 heartbreaking stars!
This beautiful story have made me cry a lot. More often than not in life when one thing goes wrongly then suddenly all other aspects of your life seem to follow in the wrong direction as well. But every cloud has a silver lining.
I felt so connected to Alex that I was identifying myself with her. It was so heartbreaking and heart wrenching story and I couldn't put it down once I started to read. And the way the author has build the storyline is something I didn't expected at all when I turned the first page over. Also words used in this book are something else than I encounter in other books I read, more sophisticated. I need more from the world of March sisters I hope to read soon next books.
Just give it a try you won't be disappointed.
This beautiful story have made me cry a lot. More often than not in life when one thing goes wrongly then suddenly all other aspects of your life seem to follow in the wrong direction as well. But every cloud has a silver lining.
I felt so connected to Alex that I was identifying myself with her. It was so heartbreaking and heart wrenching story and I couldn't put it down once I started to read. And the way the author has build the storyline is something I didn't expected at all when I turned the first page over. Also words used in this book are something else than I encounter in other books I read, more sophisticated. I need more from the world of March sisters I hope to read soon next books.
Just give it a try you won't be disappointed.
January 11, 2019
I enjoyed this well-written, entertaining book. The three March sisters saw the bridal store opened and run by their parents as a real-world representation of what true love was all about. Oldest sister Alexandra (Alex) has always striven for perfection in her own life, and has built a career in Boston. With her mother’s unexpected death she returns to her hometown and has to face the past she ran away from - including Jonah. Alex and Jonah have to interact with each other in the present and also face the secrets of their past. This book can be read as a standalone story, though it is the first in a series. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and recommend this author to others.
December 13, 2020
This is the first book. In a three book series featuring the March sisters. It was an easy read but also very easy to predict.
Alex has come to her sleepy family town after her mother’s death. Alex has a high powered job and Husband in Boston, wanting to get back there as soon as possible. Her sister Charlotte who stayed in their home town and ran the family bridal boutique ‘Match made in Devon’ with their mother wants everything to stay the same. Enter into this mix Alex’s childhood sweetheart Jonah and a surprise third sister, Freesia, and you can guess how the story unfolds.
If you’re a lover of old style romances then this will be perfect but I like my family drama with some unseen twists.
Thanks to NetGalley and Relay publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Alex has come to her sleepy family town after her mother’s death. Alex has a high powered job and Husband in Boston, wanting to get back there as soon as possible. Her sister Charlotte who stayed in their home town and ran the family bridal boutique ‘Match made in Devon’ with their mother wants everything to stay the same. Enter into this mix Alex’s childhood sweetheart Jonah and a surprise third sister, Freesia, and you can guess how the story unfolds.
If you’re a lover of old style romances then this will be perfect but I like my family drama with some unseen twists.
Thanks to NetGalley and Relay publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2019
I had a really, really hard time getting into this. Then, I would finally start to feel like it had caught its stride and things would get all muddled and lost again. There was a lot of unnecessary information throughout that made things more difficult, and it wasn't clear when we were reading the past. The characters themselves, especially the three sisters, were very distinct, each with their own problems and personalities, which was great. The problems throughout felt very genuine and relatable, though I felt there were still many things left unresolved.
Overall, this had some really good aspects, and it's worth a read, but be prepared for a bit of awkwardness in tone & phrase.
Overall, this had some really good aspects, and it's worth a read, but be prepared for a bit of awkwardness in tone & phrase.
October 16, 2020
This is the first book of the series, and I read them out of order. Even though The Butterfly Dream is my favorite, all of the books make a contribution to the complete story of these sisters. When I read the other books I had some trouble with Alex seeming selfish and self-centered. By the end of The Family Wish, she has softened a lot, and I grew to love her character. This book - Our Bridal Shop - focuses more on Alex's story, and has given me a much greater understanding of her. As they journey throughout the series, these sisters find friendship, sisterhood, love, forgiveness and second chances.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 4, 2019
After their mother's funeral Charlotte and her sister learn that they have a half sister from their father side. Not only that but they are now sharing the bridal shop with her. Alex isn't involved with the shop anymore after moving away and starting her own life. Charlotte stayed and was running it. Will they be able to work together without any issues? Will Charlotte give a man from her past a second chance?
This is a great story that will captivate you from the first page to the last. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.
This is a great story that will captivate you from the first page to the last. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.
January 11, 2019
The death of a beloved always throws our life in turmoil but what happens when one finds out that they have a half-sibling and a business on the verge on bankruptcy?
The story of the March sisters Alex & Charlotte starts after both their parents have passed away and they find out they have a half-sister and a business on the verge of collapse.
With all their lives unraveling, secrets coming out and decisions to be made what will the March sisters do?
A beautiful heart warming story of families, secrets, love and loss.
The story of the March sisters Alex & Charlotte starts after both their parents have passed away and they find out they have a half-sister and a business on the verge of collapse.
With all their lives unraveling, secrets coming out and decisions to be made what will the March sisters do?
A beautiful heart warming story of families, secrets, love and loss.
January 9, 2019
Wow! I loved this! Alex returns to her home town after the death of her mother after being away for years. The shell/wall she has built around herself in Boston soon starts to crumble when she gets to her small hometown. She and her sister have inherited the bridal shop, and a secret comes out that shakes her to the core. It brings back memories that he ran from and the boy she left behind. This is at time heart wrenching, yet sweet and shows how you can get love and forgiveness and it just makes you stronger. It's so good!
January 18, 2019
Wow! Love these type of sagas. This is "Large&"! Mega, mega hours of very pleasurable reading. It boggles the mind that the author must have an extraordinary intellect and imagination to set up such a labyrinth of complexity to the story. So many layers to this tale. Story line - excellent. Characterizations - excellent. This novel will take a bit of time to read, however, it is well worth the endeavour!
Recommended Reading.
I voluntarily received an advance review copy of this novel via Booksprout and I am leaving an honest and unbiased review. I have no affiliation to this author.
Recommended Reading.
I voluntarily received an advance review copy of this novel via Booksprout and I am leaving an honest and unbiased review. I have no affiliation to this author.
October 14, 2020
3.5 stars
In this debut book, we are joining the sisters after the loss of their mother. The family drama begins as secrets are revealed, as the curtains on what was perceived as true love begin to fall. Alex left Devon, MS to escape pressures of perfection and control her own destiny. Charlotte stayed behind and helped her mother with the family business and has settled nicely in Devon. Alex had no intention of staying as she had a life in Boston. Freesia, the surprise sister, is your free spirit. As things come to light and realization that they must work together, as equal partners decisions need to be made.
Second chances, love and loss, lots of secrets, and forgiveness made up this story. I look forward to the next sister’s story.
Thank you to Booksprout and the author for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
In this debut book, we are joining the sisters after the loss of their mother. The family drama begins as secrets are revealed, as the curtains on what was perceived as true love begin to fall. Alex left Devon, MS to escape pressures of perfection and control her own destiny. Charlotte stayed behind and helped her mother with the family business and has settled nicely in Devon. Alex had no intention of staying as she had a life in Boston. Freesia, the surprise sister, is your free spirit. As things come to light and realization that they must work together, as equal partners decisions need to be made.
Second chances, love and loss, lots of secrets, and forgiveness made up this story. I look forward to the next sister’s story.
Thank you to Booksprout and the author for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2020
Instead of a past that left the sisters in very different circumstances and places, the death of their mother gifts the girls with a revised family tree, some hidden history and a few chances for very different future opportunities
Thry make discoveries about the imperfect nature of love- and the joys and pains resulting from those imperfections
Moving love story with lots of family, pain, redefining, loss and gain
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Thry make discoveries about the imperfect nature of love- and the joys and pains resulting from those imperfections
Moving love story with lots of family, pain, redefining, loss and gain
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 3, 2019
A powerful story about perfection, unperfection ,family and love. The two March sister discover that they have a half-sister after her mother’s death and together they have to figure a way to save her mother Bridal store and find their way in sisterhood. They will help each other to find themselves again a have a future.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 3, 2019
*Spoilers*
I liked this book. It's very emotional. The characters have a difficult history, it is a pity that they were able to be together only after so many years, but I'm glad that they were able to forgive each other. I hope Alex can give Jonah another baby later. Their child. I like that they are happy. They deserve it.
P.S. Jonah is so cute. Real man.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I liked this book. It's very emotional. The characters have a difficult history, it is a pity that they were able to be together only after so many years, but I'm glad that they were able to forgive each other. I hope Alex can give Jonah another baby later. Their child. I like that they are happy. They deserve it.
P.S. Jonah is so cute. Real man.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2019
This is the first Danielle Blair's book I've read and it won't be the last. The characters are enjoyable and the storyline flows well starting with the death of Alex and Charlotte's mother. Finding out they have a half sister from their father and they each get 1/3 of the bridal store. This story is about family, secrets, mistakes and forgiveness. This is a good read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 4, 2019
In the beginning I felt so bad for Alex because she struggled so much with what had happened with her father. Alex was very hard on herself and I was glad in the end she was able to be with Jonah. Charlotte and Freesia were great and I am glad Alex was able to accept and be part of the shop in the end. I really liked Jonah as the man for Alex and a great father to Isabel. I loved Isabel.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 4, 2019
Book one in the series Match Made in Devon Bridal Shop a well-written story and I know I want to read the next book. This book centers around Match Made in Devon, the bridal shop it begins after the funeral of Alexandra's and Charlotte's mother, Ella and it looks like each book will deal with one of the sister this time it is Alexandra's story.I found I needed a Kleenex in some parts of this story.I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 7, 2019
Three sisters, struggling to overcome a parent's betrayal and life's curve balls. Will everything collapse around them?
Have to say that I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. Each sister has their own problems on top of the problems left over from their parents. I liked how this one predominantly focused on one sister, but at the same time gave glimpses of the other two. Really can't wait for the next book in the series!
Have to say that I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. Each sister has their own problems on top of the problems left over from their parents. I liked how this one predominantly focused on one sister, but at the same time gave glimpses of the other two. Really can't wait for the next book in the series!
January 8, 2019
The first installment in the Match Made in Devon series takes a look into family, grief, love, and relationships that harbor secrets and lies. Our Bridal Shop introduces the reader to the March family in Devon, Mississippi, a family and small town that I'm looking forward to getting to know even better in the upcoming installments later this year. Our Bridal Shop is an easy read with a valuable message of redemption, forgiveness, and love.
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